The Ultimate Boulevard Cruise: 2005 Spring Grand Run

By: Larry Crain

The Grand Run is so much fun and so huge that MCS Promotions holds it twice a year: April and September. This year’s spring show was treated to picture perfect weather, mild temps and loads of sunshine, which brought out the cars and trucks in record numbers. New for 2005 at the Spring Grand Run was a custom bike class that brought out a good number of tricked-out motorcycles.

The parking lot of the Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center, the host facility for this awesome event, was packed all three show days with cars, trucks, motorcycles and a record number of vendors who stayed busy all weekend long. The parking lot was so full of so many gorgeous vehicles that it was hard to figure out which to look at first or what to take pictures of.

With vehicles competing for the Ultimate 5 Award, the Grand 25 Award and over $8,000 in cash and prizes, one could only imagine the quality of workmanship on some of the vehicles that were on hand. If you got tired of walking the aisles looking at the more than 300 vehicles covering the parking lot, there was row after row of vendors selling all types of parts from performance to restoration. And if you were looking for used parts, there was a swap meet area at the event as well.

One thing other than the show itself that draws a huge number of vehicles for this three-day festival of chrome, paint and horsepower is the cruise action on the six-lane boulevard that cuts right through the middle of Pigeon Forge. With all of the hotels, resorts and entertainment facilities lit up at night and the boulevard packed with cruisers of all makes, models and colors – and all of them giving off their own individual exhaust tone – it would make you think that you had died and gone to hot rod heaven. As they say in that old beer commercial, “It Just Don’t Get Any Better Than This!”

If you missed out on this Spring Grand Run, shame on you. But you still have time to mark your calendar and get your hotel reservation for the Fall Grand Run, September 16 – 18. For more information on this awesome event, contact MCS Promotions at 865-687-3976 or visit www.corvetteexpo.com.